Automatic bell-ringer



(N'o Model.) ZSheets-Sheet 1. I'. W. RIESENBERG 8v J. E. OHEARNE.

AUTOMATIC BBL-L RINGBR.

Patented Sept. 17, 1889.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. P. W. RIESENBERG & J'. E. OHEARNE.

AUTOMATIC BELL RINGBR. No. 411,129.V Patented sept. 1v, 11189l FIGJZ. FI G I3- N. mu. mvv-Mundua wmimah. n c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

FRANK W. RIESENBERG AND JOHN E. OHEARNE, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

g AUTOMATIC BELL-RINGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part o f Letters Patent No. 411,129, dated September 1'?, 1889.

Application nea April 16, 1889.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANKW. RIESEN- BERG and JOHN E. OI-IEARNE, citizens of the United States of America, residing at Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Bell-Ringers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The device is intended to be operated by compressed air or steam. The drawings show it in its application to the bell of a locomotive-engine; but it is applicable to all oscillatin g bells. The ringing of the bell of alocomotive is used as a signal to denote the starting of the engine. It is also rung when approachin g and passing over all road and street crossings to warn the drivers of vehicles and pedestrians of the approach of the train. The Inost usual way to operate the bell has been to secure a crank-arm to the bell-shaft and to carry a cord from said arm back to the cab, when by pulling the cord the bell can be rung, it being part of the duty of the fireman to ring the bell. On locomotives used for switching and making up trains and upon those used to pull suburban passenger-trains,

where the service is constantly within the limits of a city or town, it becomes necessary to ring the bell almost constantly, to do which and attend to the other requirements of his work is a great hardship to the fireman, and often impossible. To obviate this numerous devices have been invented to ring the bell, it only being necessary to start and stop the same at will; but many have failed to give satisfaction. To accomplish the desired results and still produce a machine simple in construction and inexpensive has been the obj ect of our invention.

In the drawings, Figures l and 2 are elevations of the bell-frame and bell with the bellringer constructed in accordance with our invention. Figs. 3 and 4t are sectional elevations of the ringer detached. Fig. 5 is a plan of the same. Figs. 6 and 7 show the trunnion in side view and transverse section. Figs. S

' and 9 show the valve in side view and trans- Serial No. 307,484. (No model.)

show the valve-disk in front and side view. Figs. 14 and 15 show the valve rod and disk in their relative positions to one another.

In conformity with the general locomotive practice the bell-frame A, which is secured to the boiler of the locomotive, receives the shafts a and a', which are fastened to the yoke d2, the bell a3 being bolted to the yoke a2. The crank-arm a7 is secured to the shaft a', and from it to the cab is carried the cord used by the fireman to handle the bell. To attach the bell-ringer to the bell-frame, at at is screwed the trunnion B, having the cylindrical chamber b and the hole b at one end and ports b2 and b3 cut into the walls of said chamber. Over the trunnion B is placed the cylinder C, while into the chamber b the hollow vwing-valve D, Figs. 8 and 9, is placed. The valve and cylinder are then held in place by screwing the nut b4 on the end of trunnion B. The opening e in the valve-rod E is now passed over projecting end d of the valve D, while at the same time the end e is inserted into the cylinder through an opening in the cylinder-head c. The valvedisk F is next passed over the end d of the valve D, the pins f and f projecting from the face of the disk coming on either side of the rod E. The disk is then made stationary to the valve by the pin f2, or in other suitable manner. Within the cylinder C is the piston G,'having the piston-rod g. The rod g is inserted through. a hole in the crank-pin d5 of the crank-arm a6, which is keyed or riveted to the shaft a. The pipe H, screwed into the hole b in the trunnion, conveys the air or steam from the boiler or air-pump to the bell-ringer.

Figs. l, 2, 3, and l show the bell and bellringer in their normal position.

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the cylinder C and under the piston G, it forces it and its rod g upward. The shoulder g on the rod g, being in contact with the crank-pin a5, further oscillates the bell and causes it to ring. As the cylinder is oscillated it carries with it the rod E, which in its movement comes in contact with the pin f, Fig. 14.-, and turns the valve D within the trunnion B, so that the wing d of said valve closes the port b3 and cuts oit the airor steam supply to the cylinder, the piston being forced from this point to the end of its stroke by expansion. When the piston is near the end of its upward movement, it strikes and lifts with it the rod E. As the rod E is lifted its angular face c2 comes in contact with the pin f and still further revolves the valve D. The ports (Z2 in the valve now match the ports ZF and c', forming a free outlet from the cylinder' through the ports e b3 d2 and through the passages (Z3 in the valve D, and outinto the atmosphere, or with suitable connections into the smoke-box of the locomotive. The piston on being released of its pressure is forced down by the gravitation of the bell. The valve-rod E also drops back of its own weight, not affecting the valve D, which is held stationary by the pressure upon it until again operated upon by the valverod E, thus giving ample time for release of pressure. The momentum of the bell carries it backward and oseillates the cylinder upon its trunnion (in the opposite direction to that heretofore described) sufficient to bring the port c in line with the port Ui, when the air or steam again enters the cylinder and the above-described proceeding is repeated, and will continue to be as long as it is desired to keep the bell in motion. To stop the bell, the operator takes hold of the cord and brings the bell to its vertical, position. The valve will then be in the position shown by Fig. i, and will remain thus until again started. The crank-pin ai is made to turn in the arm a6, and is free to move upon the smaller part g2 of the piston-rod y.

In case too great a pressure is exerted upon the piston the momentum of the bell will cause the pin ai to slide upward on the piston-rod until met by the elastic resistance of the spring K, compressed against the nut L. By this arrangement serious jars are avoided and the most natural vibrations of the bell are permitted.

As has been explained, the bell is handled solely by means of the ordinarybelleord, and

requires no attention but to pull the cord to start it and to hold it for an instant to stop it.

Having new fully described the invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. An oscillating cylinder, in combination with a hollow trunnion having two series of ports b2, and a valve within the trunnion, and a bell-supporting frame carrying said trunnion with a bell, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The trunnion l5, having longitudinal chamber l), provided with the opening b and ports b2 and b, in combination with cylinder C, andthe valve D, having ports (Z2 and the central passage d3, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. rlhe combination of the oscillating cylinder C, the trunnion B, having ports b2, the valve D,-having ports and a central passage, and the nut L* upon the end of said trunnion, substantially as and for the purpose described.,l

4. The combination of. the oscillating cylinder C, the piston G, piston-rod g, and nut L, with the spring K upon said piston-rod, the pin a, perforated to receive the pistonrod, the crank-arm a, shafts a and ct, bellyoke, and bell, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. The combination of the piston G, the cylinder and its perforated cover c, and the bent valve-rod E, entering the perforated cover, with the valve D, the disk lf, and pins f and j upon said disk, substantially as and for the purpose described.

G. The combination of a bell-supporting frame, the trunnion l), the cylinder C, mounted upon said trunnion, the tubular valve D, the valve-rod E, the valve-disk F, having pins ff, and the piston G, adapted to lift the valve-rod, substantially and for the purpose described.

7. The combination of a bell, a bell-supporting frame, the hollow trunnion B, the oscillating cylinder C, valve D, valve-rod E, Valve-disk l piston Gr, and rod g, with the crank-pin a and crank-arm a, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof we al'iix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK XV. RIESENBERG. JOHN E. OIIEARNE. \Vitnesses:

Guo. M. HUNTER, LoUIs MARKS.

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